I Hate Country Music . . . or Do I?

As I watched the Inauguration of Joseph R. Biden for the history, and TBH the musical acts, I was overwhelmed with several emotions. At the forefront was joy, since this occasion marked the end of the reign of a man who is so heinous that every adjective used to describe him is trite. In the middle emotional section I felt confusion, due to Jennifer Lopez tagging the end of This Land Is Your Land, with her 1999 hit Let’s Get Loud. And finally I felt real pissed that Garth Brooks was there. Besides the fact that he shook Mike Pence’s hand BEFORE Kamala Harris’ hand, I audibly said, “Man, I hate country music!”

Hating country music has long been a part of my musical personality. Not that I’m this cool indie music person who really identifies with any specific musical genre. Except for maybe the genre of ‘song on cool TV show’. However, ‘everything but country’ was the stock answer I would give when asked about my musical tastes. 

But as I sat watching Kamala Harris walk Mike Pence down the steps of the capital, hoping Pence would fall and die, I started to think, actually, I don’t really hate country music. 

First of all, Garth Brooks sang Amazing Grace a capella, and that’s hard. Most singers can’t even sing their own songs properly (cough, cough J.Lo), let alone nail a spiritual classic at what I imagine to be a very nerve wracking event. Okay, so Garth Brooks a.k.a Chris Gaines gets a country pass according to my very scientific analysis. But this got me thinking, if I consider Garth Brook pretty decent, I surely like country music on some base level.

As of February 2021 here are the country songs and singers I deem pretty great, considering that I “hate” country music.

Daddy Lessons by Beyoncé

Beyoncé’s foray into the country genre is fun and definitely more rock than country. But throughout this entire list you will see the theme of “is that country or really folk pop/rock?” I was never not going to love a Beyoncé country song because Beyoncé is inhumanly talented and we need to just accept everything she does is JUST STUNNING. Beyoncé’s so talented that an ex-boyfriend and I were in a bad fight, but had tickets to her “On The Run” tour so we had to pause the fight and attend the concert. By mid show, we looked at each other and knew the fight was over and we were totally fine because Beyoncé was that good.

Most Dolly Parton, but Especially “Here You Come Again”

I’m not a monster. Obviously Dolly Parton is the best of the best and Here You Come Again is such a relatable song. Every time she sings “ Here you come again / lookin' better than a body has a right to”, it slaps and hits all at once! 

Miley Cyrus when she sounds country. Specifically “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart” and I think “Malibu”?

When Miley Cyrus originally released her backyard sessions, every boy I had a crush on would tell me that she had a great voice. And while I do earnestly love Party in the U.S.A, I always found it hard to fully get on board with her because I was maybe a year too old for Hannah Montana, thus relegating it to a “show for babies”. Turns out Miley is great, can sing like hell, and Nothing Breaks Like a Heart and Malibu are songs that I cannot get enough of. I guess the one caveat to my Miley fandom is the music video for “Nothing Breaks Like A Heart” recreates the O.J Simpson car chase, but she’s O.J? And I think I speak for everyone when I ask “but why?”

The Weight by The Band

Well, this is just a good song and band but I am being informed that it is not country. But like, it could be, right?

Mean by Taylor Swift

I’m a Swiftie and honestly, I’m sorry. I watched her Netflix doc and it made me like her less, but her music more. And while my heart really belongs to Folklore and Evermore, Mean was the first song that made me care about TayTay and if you watch her perform it at the 2012 Grammys she gets a standing ovation. And that’s the Grammys people! Prince was there!

So while this list is inherently poppy, I’m going to let Jesus take the wheel and just accept that I love country music!